Welcome to a vibrant city that is known for its unforgettable history, incredible skyline, unparalleled architecture and a beautiful lakefront, CHICAGO! This lively and dynamic city, filled with world-class museums, superb shopping, championship sports, exquisite dining and entertainment provides something for everyone.

+

See the site where the Great Chicago Fire started and explore

+

some of the many ethnic neighborhoods which make Chicago

+

a “city of neighborhoods.” Head south to The University

+

of Chicago and view Rockefeller Chapel, one of the finest examples

+

of neo-Gothic architecture in the U.S. along with Frank

+

Lloyd Wright’s Robie House. Chicago is truly a cosmopolitan,

+

world-class city which provides something for everyone. Includes

+

narrated motor coach tour and stop at Millennium Park. Lunch is

+

not included.

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Travel around Chicago and discover all of the fascinating attractions that you won’t want to miss: Field Museum of Natural History, Millennium Park which houses the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the U.S, Navy Pier - the city’s lake-front playground, the “Magnificent Mile” of unparalleled shopping and the phenomenal skyscrapers which dot

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Cost: $40.00 Per Person

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the city’s skyline.

+

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Birthplace of the skyscraper, one of Chicago’s most identifiable claims to fame resides in its architecture. Learn about the architects, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, who influenced the city’s architecture and view their creations.

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Spend a day at Chicago’s museum campus and say hello to Sue, the largest most complete and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever discovered at the Field Museum. View the most diverse display of sharks in North America at the Shedd Aquarium.

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'''Architectural River Cruise with Navy Pier Excursion'''

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Shop until you drop on Michigan Avenue, world renowned for the “Magnificent Mile” that offers unparalleled shopping with the largest concentration of retail stores in the world.

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Friday, July 10, 1:00pm – 5:30pm & Tuesday, July 14, 9:00am – 1:30pm

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In Chicago, you will never have to worry about finding a place to eat. Chicago features more four-star restaurants than any other city with culinary favorites to suit virtually every taste, budget and mood. Following dinner, choose from a wealth of entertainment such as live jazz, blues, dance, and theater. Chicago is truly a cosmopolitan, world-class city. Built

+

Sail aboard and view the exquisite architecture

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on business but committed to the good life of leisure and after hour’s attractions, Chicago will create a lifetime of memories and guarantee a most memorable visit!

+

of Chicago from the unique

+

perspective of the Chicago River. Learn

+

about the extensive buildings that line

+

the Chicago River, which is one of the

+

only rivers in the world whose direction

+

was changed to flow away from its

+

source! Professional docents will show

+

you some of the world’s tallest buildings,

+

Chicago’s world-renowned architectural

+

landmarks from art deco to post modernism

+

while outlining the interesting history

+

of how this city was resurrected after

+

the Great Chicago Fire. This tour is no

+

doubt the best way to see the windy city!

+

+

After your cruise, your guide will take you on a short stroll

+

to Chicago’s Navy Pier. Built originally as a warehouse and

+

at one point was a large Naval Training Base, this incredible

+

building is now Chicago’s number one entertainment attraction.

+

Located where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan, the pier

+

provides a truly exquisite view of the skyline of Chicago, with

+

endless activities from the enormous Ferris Wheel, which was

+

originally introduced in Chicago during the 1893 World’s Columbian

+

Exposition to the Crystal Gardens and IMAX Theater.

+

Explore the variety of shops; visit the breathtaking Smith Museum

+

of Stained Glass Windows; or have a drink and a bratwurst

+

at the outdoor Beer Garden. Navy Pier is truly a place where

+

everyone and anyone can enjoy Chicago! Includes narrated

+

motor coach tour, narrated architectural cruise and visit to Navy

+

Pier. Lunch not included.

+

+

Cost: $68.00 Per Person

+

+

+

'''Chicago By Moonlight with Hancock Observatory'''

+

+

Friday, July 10, 6:00pm – 10:00pm

+

+

Chicago’s skyline by day

+

is magnificent. At sunset,

+

it becomes magical as

+

each building begins to

+

shine. Hop aboard a deluxe

+

Motor coach for a

+

tour like no other as you

+

journey through the streets

+

of Chicago and view what has been called the world’s most

+

beautiful skyline. Chicago is full of surprises from its glimmering

+

lakefront to its architectural wonders designed by world-renowned

+

architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright. Stop at the Hancock Observatory

+

where you will get to know the real Chicago - its history

+

and its hotspots - with the super-dooper new multimedia Sky

+

Tour designed to captivate eyes, ears and mind. Narrated by

+

Chicago resident, David Schwimmer of Friends, he will walk you

+

through a city full of character and filled with characters. Tonight,

+

see the best of Chicago, aglow in its wonder. Includes narrated

+

motor coach tour and admission to Hancock Observatory. Dinner

+

is not included.

+

+

Cost: $56.00 Per Person

+

+

+

'''Chicago by Land and Sea'''

+

+

Saturday, July 11, 9:15am – 3:15pm

+

+

This unique city tour combines

+

the popular architectural

+

and historical sights

+

of the city by land and

+

river. Cruise the Chicago

+

River and learn about the

+

extensive buildings that

+

line the river, which is

+

one of the only rivers in

+

the world whose direction

+

was changed to flow away from its source! Professional docents

+

will show you some of the world’s tallest buildings, Chicago’s

+

world-renowned architectural landmarks from art deco to post

+

modernism while outlining the interesting history of how this city

+

was resurrected after the Great Chicago Fire.

+

+

You will have a short time to visit Navy Pier, Chicago’s number

+

one entertainment attraction, with endless activities from the enormous

+

Ferris Wheel, to the Crystal Gardens and IMAX Theater. Explore

+

the variety of shops; visit the breathtaking Smith Museum of Stained

+

Glass Windows; or have a lunch at the outdoor Beer Garden.

+

+

Aboard a deluxe motor coach, see the museums that make up

+

Museum Campus, Millennium Park, and Chicago’s dynamic skyline

+

of architectural wonders designed by world-renowned architects. Visit

+

the Gold Coast where millionaires of the turn of the century built their

+

magnificent mansions. Travel down the renowned “Magnificent Mile,”

+

Chicago’s shopping Mecca featuring the largest concentration of retail

+

stores in the world. Stop at the world famous Sears Tower to take

+

in one of the best views of Chicago in the Skydeck, the highest observatory

+

in the city at 1,353 feet above ground. You will also have the

+

opportunity to view the exhibits on the walls, take a hands-on trip on

+

state of the art computer kiosks and see as far as possible through various

+

high powered telescopes. As the tour unwinds, see the site where

+

the Great Chicago Fire started and explore some of the many ethnic

+

neighborhoods which make Chicago a “city of neighborhoods.” This

+

tour is no doubt, the best way to see the windy city! Includes narrated

one of the most popular cities for all ethnicities with diverse neighborhoods

+

spread throughout. Hop aboard a motorcoach and traverse

+

Near West Side neighborhoods Greek Town and Little Italy to learn

+

more about where early immigrants resided after arriving in America.

+

In nearby Chinatown, your guide will direct you to where you can

+

browse shops on your own after a short tour.

+

+

Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood boasted the city's largest

+

Italian population in the late 1800s. Discover this heritage at the

+

Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii during a short discussion and on

+

a neighborhood walking tour that includes Taylor Street, the main

+

thoroughfare.

+

+

Greektown is a great place to go for a reasonably priced

+

lunch or dinner at one of the dozen or so busy Greek restaurants

+

lining Halsted Street. Be sure to order saganaki, a created-in-Chicago

+

dish of flaming cheese. Greektown shops sell Greek pastries

+

and other food items, as well as religious objects and souvenirs.

+

Most of Chicago’s Greek-Americans now live in outlying neighborhoods

+

or suburbs, but Greektown helps keep their heritage alive.

+

+

Chinatown is a delightful place to dine and shop. The twin

+

centerpieces are the decorative gate at Cermak Road and Wentworth

+

Avenue and the lavishly decorated Chinese Merchants Association

+

Building. You can spend hours browsing through the

+

stores and souvenir shops on Wentworth Avenue. Chinatown

+

grew up in the second decade of the 20th century as Chinese

+

residents moved south from the South Loop, seeking cheaper rents.

+

Chinatown is part of the Armour Square neighborhood, which is

+

also home to U.S. Cellular Field, where the Chicago White Sox

+

Major League Baseball team plays their home games. Armour

+

Square is named for Armour Square Park, one of the oldest parks

+

in the city, located at 33rd and Shields.

+

+

Cost: $58.00 Per Person

+

+

+

'''Frank Lloyd Wright Home, Studio Tour'''

+

+

Sunday, July 12, 9:00am – 2:00pm

+

+

The Frank Lloyd Wright

+

Home and Studio (1889/

+

1898) served as Wright's

+

private residence and

+

workplace from 1889 to

+

1909 - the first 20 years

+

of his career. Wright used his home as an architectural laboratory,

+

experimenting with design concepts that contain the seeds of his

+

architectural philosophy. Here he raised six children with his first

+

wife, Catherine Tobin. In 1898, Wright added a studio, described

+

by a fellow-architect as a workplace with "inspiration everywhere."

+

In the Studio, Wright and his associates developed a new American

+

architecture: the Prairie style and designed 125 structures, including

+

such famous buildings as the Robie House, the Larkin Building and

+

Unity Temple.

+

+

Led by a Frank Lloyd Wright docent, you’ll experience the

+

spaces Wright designed for his family and his architectural practice

+

in his first home and studio. Explore the surrounding Historic

+

District on a guided walking tour and see other Frank Lloyd Wright

+

landmark buildings in this architecturally rich neighborhood.

+

+

Cost: $78.00 Per Person

+

+

+

'''Second City'''

+

+

Monday, July 13, 7:00pm – 11:00pm

+

+

Chicago is famous for improvisational comedy and Second

+

City is the ongoing reason. This world-class comedy troupe has become

+

Chicago’s irreplaceable comic institution since 1959. An incubator

+

for celebrities, it's famous for encouraging the talents of Mike

+

Myers, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Ed Asner, Betty Thomas, Bill

+

Murray, Dan Aykroyd, George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Chris Farley,

+

Shelley Long and Alan Arkin. Young alumni include Tim Meadows of

+

"Saturday Night Live," Richard Kind and Bonnie Hunt. Future greats

+

are no doubt on stage right now, performing the kind of hit-and-run

+

sketch comedy that tries to stay both topical and universal.

+

+

Under the recent direction of Mick Napier, the main stage

+

revues have departed from tradition, providing smoother transitions

+

between sketches, more running jokes and greater use of the

+

auditorium and mixed media. The two-tiered cabaret-style theater

+

is comfortable with excellent sight lines and acoustics. Improvisation

+

sessions follow the regular shows.

+

+

Cost: $84.00 Per Person

Latest revision as of 09:40, 26 February 2009

ALA TOUR PROGRAM

Chicago, IL; July 10 - 14, 2009

Chicago Highlights with Millennium Park

Friday, July 10, 8:30am – 12:30pm & Sunday, July 12, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Hop aboard a deluxe
Motor Coach for an introduction
to Chicago
like no other. On this informative,
narrated tour,
we will travel around
this lively city and discover
all of the fascinating
sites and hear of its
unforgettable history.
As we begin our journey,
you will view the trilogy of attractions making up the Museum
Campus, which includes the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium
and the Alder Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, some of the best
in the world.

Take in Chicago’s dynamic skyline of architectural wonders
designed by world-renowned architects such as Frank Lloyd
Wright. View the spectacular Millennium Park which houses the
most sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the U.S.
Visit the Gold Coast where millionaires of the turn of the century
built their magnificent mansions. Travel down the renowned
“Magnificent Mile,” Chicago’s shopping Mecca featuring the
largest concentration of retail stores in the world.

See the site where the Great Chicago Fire started and explore
some of the many ethnic neighborhoods which make Chicago
a “city of neighborhoods.” Head south to The University
of Chicago and view Rockefeller Chapel, one of the finest examples
of neo-Gothic architecture in the U.S. along with Frank
Lloyd Wright’s Robie House. Chicago is truly a cosmopolitan,
world-class city which provides something for everyone. Includes
narrated motor coach tour and stop at Millennium Park. Lunch is
not included.

Cost: $40.00 Per Person

Architectural River Cruise with Navy Pier Excursion

Friday, July 10, 1:00pm – 5:30pm & Tuesday, July 14, 9:00am – 1:30pm

Sail aboard and view the exquisite architecture
of Chicago from the unique
perspective of the Chicago River. Learn
about the extensive buildings that line
the Chicago River, which is one of the
only rivers in the world whose direction
was changed to flow away from its
source! Professional docents will show
you some of the world’s tallest buildings,
Chicago’s world-renowned architectural
landmarks from art deco to post modernism
while outlining the interesting history
of how this city was resurrected after
the Great Chicago Fire. This tour is no
doubt the best way to see the windy city!

After your cruise, your guide will take you on a short stroll
to Chicago’s Navy Pier. Built originally as a warehouse and
at one point was a large Naval Training Base, this incredible
building is now Chicago’s number one entertainment attraction.
Located where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan, the pier
provides a truly exquisite view of the skyline of Chicago, with
endless activities from the enormous Ferris Wheel, which was
originally introduced in Chicago during the 1893 World’s Columbian
Exposition to the Crystal Gardens and IMAX Theater.
Explore the variety of shops; visit the breathtaking Smith Museum
of Stained Glass Windows; or have a drink and a bratwurst
at the outdoor Beer Garden. Navy Pier is truly a place where
everyone and anyone can enjoy Chicago! Includes narrated
motor coach tour, narrated architectural cruise and visit to Navy
Pier. Lunch not included.

Cost: $68.00 Per Person

Chicago By Moonlight with Hancock Observatory

Friday, July 10, 6:00pm – 10:00pm

Chicago’s skyline by day
is magnificent. At sunset,
it becomes magical as
each building begins to
shine. Hop aboard a deluxe
Motor coach for a
tour like no other as you
journey through the streets
of Chicago and view what has been called the world’s most
beautiful skyline. Chicago is full of surprises from its glimmering
lakefront to its architectural wonders designed by world-renowned
architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright. Stop at the Hancock Observatory
where you will get to know the real Chicago - its history
and its hotspots - with the super-dooper new multimedia Sky
Tour designed to captivate eyes, ears and mind. Narrated by
Chicago resident, David Schwimmer of Friends, he will walk you
through a city full of character and filled with characters. Tonight,
see the best of Chicago, aglow in its wonder. Includes narrated
motor coach tour and admission to Hancock Observatory. Dinner
is not included.

Cost: $56.00 Per Person

Chicago by Land and Sea

Saturday, July 11, 9:15am – 3:15pm

This unique city tour combines
the popular architectural
and historical sights
of the city by land and
river. Cruise the Chicago
River and learn about the
extensive buildings that
line the river, which is
one of the only rivers in
the world whose direction
was changed to flow away from its source! Professional docents
will show you some of the world’s tallest buildings, Chicago’s
world-renowned architectural landmarks from art deco to post
modernism while outlining the interesting history of how this city
was resurrected after the Great Chicago Fire.

You will have a short time to visit Navy Pier, Chicago’s number
one entertainment attraction, with endless activities from the enormous
Ferris Wheel, to the Crystal Gardens and IMAX Theater. Explore
the variety of shops; visit the breathtaking Smith Museum of Stained
Glass Windows; or have a lunch at the outdoor Beer Garden.

Aboard a deluxe motor coach, see the museums that make up
Museum Campus, Millennium Park, and Chicago’s dynamic skyline
of architectural wonders designed by world-renowned architects. Visit
the Gold Coast where millionaires of the turn of the century built their
magnificent mansions. Travel down the renowned “Magnificent Mile,”
Chicago’s shopping Mecca featuring the largest concentration of retail
stores in the world. Stop at the world famous Sears Tower to take
in one of the best views of Chicago in the Skydeck, the highest observatory
in the city at 1,353 feet above ground. You will also have the
opportunity to view the exhibits on the walls, take a hands-on trip on
state of the art computer kiosks and see as far as possible through various
high powered telescopes. As the tour unwinds, see the site where
the Great Chicago Fire started and explore some of the many ethnic
neighborhoods which make Chicago a “city of neighborhoods.” This
tour is no doubt, the best way to see the windy city! Includes narrated
river cruise, narrated motor coach tour, admission to Skydeck at Sears
Tower and stop at Navy Pier. Lunch is not included.

Cost: $99.00 Per Person

Chicago Greek Town, Chinatown & Little Italy

Saturday, July 11, 1:00pm – 5:00pm

If a city can ever be culturally rich, Chicago is it. Chicago is
one of the most popular cities for all ethnicities with diverse neighborhoods
spread throughout. Hop aboard a motorcoach and traverse
Near West Side neighborhoods Greek Town and Little Italy to learn
more about where early immigrants resided after arriving in America.
In nearby Chinatown, your guide will direct you to where you can
browse shops on your own after a short tour.

Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood boasted the city's largest
Italian population in the late 1800s. Discover this heritage at the
Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii during a short discussion and on
a neighborhood walking tour that includes Taylor Street, the main
thoroughfare.

Greektown is a great place to go for a reasonably priced
lunch or dinner at one of the dozen or so busy Greek restaurants
lining Halsted Street. Be sure to order saganaki, a created-in-Chicago
dish of flaming cheese. Greektown shops sell Greek pastries
and other food items, as well as religious objects and souvenirs.
Most of Chicago’s Greek-Americans now live in outlying neighborhoods
or suburbs, but Greektown helps keep their heritage alive.

Chinatown is a delightful place to dine and shop. The twin
centerpieces are the decorative gate at Cermak Road and Wentworth
Avenue and the lavishly decorated Chinese Merchants Association
Building. You can spend hours browsing through the
stores and souvenir shops on Wentworth Avenue. Chinatown
grew up in the second decade of the 20th century as Chinese
residents moved south from the South Loop, seeking cheaper rents.
Chinatown is part of the Armour Square neighborhood, which is
also home to U.S. Cellular Field, where the Chicago White Sox
Major League Baseball team plays their home games. Armour
Square is named for Armour Square Park, one of the oldest parks
in the city, located at 33rd and Shields.

Cost: $58.00 Per Person

Frank Lloyd Wright Home, Studio Tour

Sunday, July 12, 9:00am – 2:00pm

The Frank Lloyd Wright
Home and Studio (1889/
1898) served as Wright's
private residence and
workplace from 1889 to
1909 - the first 20 years
of his career. Wright used his home as an architectural laboratory,
experimenting with design concepts that contain the seeds of his
architectural philosophy. Here he raised six children with his first
wife, Catherine Tobin. In 1898, Wright added a studio, described
by a fellow-architect as a workplace with "inspiration everywhere."
In the Studio, Wright and his associates developed a new American
architecture: the Prairie style and designed 125 structures, including
such famous buildings as the Robie House, the Larkin Building and
Unity Temple.

Led by a Frank Lloyd Wright docent, you’ll experience the
spaces Wright designed for his family and his architectural practice
in his first home and studio. Explore the surrounding Historic
District on a guided walking tour and see other Frank Lloyd Wright
landmark buildings in this architecturally rich neighborhood.

Cost: $78.00 Per Person

Second City

Monday, July 13, 7:00pm – 11:00pm

Chicago is famous for improvisational comedy and Second
City is the ongoing reason. This world-class comedy troupe has become
Chicago’s irreplaceable comic institution since 1959. An incubator
for celebrities, it's famous for encouraging the talents of Mike
Myers, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Ed Asner, Betty Thomas, Bill
Murray, Dan Aykroyd, George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Chris Farley,
Shelley Long and Alan Arkin. Young alumni include Tim Meadows of
"Saturday Night Live," Richard Kind and Bonnie Hunt. Future greats
are no doubt on stage right now, performing the kind of hit-and-run
sketch comedy that tries to stay both topical and universal.

Under the recent direction of Mick Napier, the main stage
revues have departed from tradition, providing smoother transitions
between sketches, more running jokes and greater use of the
auditorium and mixed media. The two-tiered cabaret-style theater
is comfortable with excellent sight lines and acoustics. Improvisation
sessions follow the regular shows.